


The Way We Love

by MystieMerry



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Abusive Relationships, Alpha Shiro (Voltron), Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Hopeful Ending, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Implied/Referenced Torture, M/M, Non-Consensual Bondage, Non-Consensual Kissing, Non-Consensual Touching, Omega Keith (Voltron), Rape Aftermath, Rape/Non-con Elements, Victim Blaming
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-08
Updated: 2020-10-29
Packaged: 2021-03-08 04:35:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 10
Words: 11,236
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26899792
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MystieMerry/pseuds/MystieMerry
Summary: Keith had always loved Shiro, but the Alpha had never reciprocated, always seeing Keith as his little Omega brother. When Shiro announces that he's planning on marrying someone else, Keith is crushed and decides it's time to tell Shiro the truth. But some truths are best left unspoken.
Relationships: Adam/Shiro (Voltron), Allura/Pidge | Katie Holt, Keith/Shiro (Voltron), Lance/Shiro (Voltron)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 48





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> TRIGGER WARNING: This is a dark story, featuring sexual and physical abuse, rape, torture, minor body horror, emotional manipulation, minor mentions of victim blaming or discrediting, dangerous mental issues and psychological horror. If any of these are triggers to anyone, I definitely recommend turning back. If not, read at your own risk. I wanted to use this story to discuss some major issues, such as male victim of female sexual assault, but I used Alpha/Omega dynamics to do it, so it gets heavy and dark, but it does have a hopeful end, so I recommend making it through once you start.

Keith has been in love with Shiro for years, but try as he might, the Alpha always seems to see the much younger Omega as a younger brother, instead of a potential mate. It was a constant ache, a constant reminder of how he wasn't good enough, how nothing he could ever do would make Shiro see that he's the perfect choice for a mate. Each time his heat came on, he would find hollow relief in his toy, sobbing at the thought that his Alpha would never fill him this way, never be there when he most needed him.

One day, Shiro had invited Keith to lunch with him. Keith is flustered and hopes this is actually Shiro asking him on a date like he's hoped for so long. But when he gets there, Shiro's not alone. Next to him sits a tall, tan skinned Omega, wire glasses perched on his nose and hand obviously clasping Shiro's beneath the table. Keith feels his heart drop as if it's made of lead, filling him with pain and heartbreak. Shiro says that he'd like Keith to meet Adam, Shiro's boyfriend. Keith is crushed, hadn't ever heard Shiro even mention Adam's name before, let alone to be his boyfriend. Keith pretends for their sake, making small talk with Adam and seeming to get along. After that, he finds that he and Shiro are never alone anymore, that Adam is always with them. 

He quickly learns that he hates Adam. Adam is never there for Shiro, saying he supports him but obviously trying to make him listen to his suggestions, Shiro falling for the simpering-little-Omega act every time and giving in to whatever Adam wants. Adam would break Keith's beautiful Alpha, whip him and break him into a submissive little servant, instead of the beautiful strong Alpha he was. Shiro deserves to be kept safe, protected from the eyes of others who would just use him. He deserves to be worshipped and loved by an Omega who could see how magnificent he is, not some pathetic little nobody like Adam.

It's been months, and it kills Keith to see how changed Shiro is, catering to Adam's every wish and bending over backwards to make him happy. Keith wants to gag every time he sees Adam thank him in his saccharine way, kissing him demeaningly on the cheek, like a rich woman would to her purse dog. After a while, Shiro asks to see Keith alone one day. Keith is nervous, but decides that he's going to tell Shiro how he feels, in hopes that Shiro may have been hiding his feelings, too. But Shiro tells him that he plans to ask Adam to marry him, and asks for Keith's blessing. Keith is stunned to silence for a moment, trying to process that his sweet, wonderful Alpha is asking some pathetic, mate-stealing Omega slut to marry him. 

He tells Shiro firmly that no, he can't marry Adam. Adam isn't good enough, Shiro deserves someone who is twice the Omega that Adam is, even more! He doesn't say that he thinks he is the Omega of choice, but he thinks Shiro should be able to see that himself. Shiro is upset by Keith's reaction, but refuses to give in. He says that he loves Adam, won't walk away from him when he knows he needs him in his life. Keith tries to tell him that he's confused, that Adam is just manipulating him, but Shiro won't listen anymore and tells Keith to leave. Keith goes silent, catching his breath for a moment before Shiro repeats his order, a subtle growl compelling Keith to obey. Keith wanders all night, trying to come to terms with what was going to happen, or else to find some way to change his mind. He and Shiro don't talk for days, and it tears him up inside to be so separated from the Alpha he loves so dearly. 

It's nearly two weeks when he gets a call from Shiro. Shiro is frantic, asking him urgently if he's seen Adam anywhere in the past two days. Keith says he hasn't, wondering what's happening. Shiro pauses and tearfully asks if Keith will come see him. When Keith gets there, Shiro is heartbroken, more worried than Keith has ever seen him. He says that Adam had gone missing. The last time he saw him was two days ago, and they'd had plans to go to dinner that night, which Adam had said he'd been excited for. That was the day Shiro had intended to propose, but then he didn't show up. Adam's house had been in shambles when he went to see him, and Adam had been gone. He'd called the police as soon as he found the chaos of Adam's house, and he'd been doing everything he could to find him. Keith stays with him and comforts him, trying to help him calm down, taking care of him in any way he can, feebly hoping that Shiro will realize that Keith has been taking care of him all along. 

The first 72 hours pass and the police become less hopeful of finding Adam alive, and Shiro is heartbroken all over again. He doesn't want to give up, but he doesn't know what he'd do if they found Adam's body. Weeks pass with no sign of him, and Shiro is a shell of what he used to be, trapped in a rut of depression after losing his beloved near-fiance. Keith finally suggests they get away from it all, take a trip somewhere in the mountains, go hiking like they used to do, take their bikes and do some racing like Shiro likes. Shiro is afraid to leave for fear of missing information about Adam, but he knows his situation isn't healthy, so he agrees. By the time he smells the fresh mountain air, he's actually excited to be going there, the crisp breeze relaxing him and making him glad of the change of scenery.  
The "cabin" they stay in is nice, more like a suburban house designed to look more rustic from the outside. They settle in easily, not doing much that first day but some short hiking and relaxing by a warm fire. Keith fixes them dinner, tells Shiro to relax. He makes some of the things he knows Shiro likes most, homemade pizza with Shiro's favorite meat toppings and his favorite cheap red wine, and they make s'mores over the fire together for dessert. The weekend goes by wonderfully, with Shiro relaxing more and more and the two repairing their relationship. They'd agreed to stay for three weeks, Shiro's job understanding that he needed the time off, and Keith saying it was a family emergency. 

After the first week, Keith makes a special dinner for them, seared pork chops with cherries and spinach, baking a rich black forest cake for dessert. Shiro is impressed, he didn't know that Keith could cook so well. Keith preens at the praise, proud of having impressed his Alpha, not that Shiro knows that he's Keith's Alpha yet. By the end of the evening, Keith pulls him in front of the fire. He leans against him, breathing in Shiro's scent and losing himself in his warmth. Finally, he just says it, can't help but tell Shiro that he loves him, has always loved him. Shiro shifts uncomfortably and laughs awkwardly, telling him that he loves him too, as a brother of course. Keith sits up and makes eye contact with him, and the intensity surprises Shiro. Keith says that's not what he means. 

"Shiro, I have always loved you, as more than a brother. I know you've never considered it before, but I needed to tell you the truth. It's been years, and the last time I didn't tell you, I thought I might have lost my chance forever. But Adam isn't here now, and I needed to tell you." 

Shiro is hurt that Keith would talk about Adam like he doesn't matter, and says, "Keith, don't talk about him that way. They'll find him, and when they do, I'm still going to marry him." Keith loses his temper at that, grabbing Shiro roughly by the shirt collar. 

"No! I told you you couldn't marry him! He's just using you for himself! He doesn't love you, could never love you, not the way I can! But he's gone now! You don't have to worry about him anymore, Shiro, neither of us do. It can be like it was, just the two of us."

Shiro can't believe what he's hearing. "What do you mean? Keith, do you know what happened to Adam?" 

Keith hesitates, brushing the dark bangs from Shiro's face as Shiro flinches at his touch. "It's okay, Shiro. He won't use you like that again. I made sure you're safe, made sure he won't hurt you or make you do anything you don't want to ever again. You're safe, I promise. I can keep you safe." He smiles down tenderly at Shiro, who is trying to understand what he's hearing. 

"What did you do to Adam, Keith?! What did you do?!" 

Keith is angry at him again and shakes him by the collar. "Why can't you see that I'm doing this for you?! He was nothing but a pathetic little nobody! I've always been there, Shiro! I've always been there for you, supported you! Why don't you love me back?!" He crushes Shiro's lips in a bruising kiss, Keith trying to force all of his years of suppressed emotion into that one action. 

Shiro is shaking beneath him and pushes him away. "Keith, stop, please! You're like my brother! I love you, but not like that!" 

He manages to get up, but Keith is more agile and corners him, pressing his body against the Alpha's. "It's okay, Shiro. Now that you know how I feel, you can learn to love me, too. I'll wait, it's okay. You can learn, and we can be together, just the two of us."

He tries to get past Keith, but Keith catches him from behind, the two of them tumbling to the ground before Shiro's head hits the edge of an end table, knocking him unconscious.


	2. Chapter 2

When he wakes up, Shiro is in bed, his sight partially obscured by a cool cloth that's fallen over his eyes. He tries to shake it off, but the movement aggravates the throbbing pain in his head and only manages to make the cloth fall further over his eyes. As the memories come back, he becomes more aware of himself. He tries to reach up to remove the cloth, but his hands are tied to the sides of the bed with strips of fabric, his feet bound similarly. He struggles to pull out of the knots around his wrists and ankles, but they don't budge. He doesn't want to call out and bring attention to himself, but it's no use as his struggling alerted Keith. Keith comes in and moves the cloth from his face, flipping it over to the cooler side and dabbing Shiro's face with it. 

He looks sadly down at him, fingers caressing Shiro's hair. "You were out for quite a while. You hurt yourself running in the house. My poor Alpha, don't worry, I'll take care of everything, you'll see." He pauses, one hand running over his chest, then lower, slipping beneath the fabric of his shirt to tenderly run his fingers over Shiro's bare skin, a look of awe on Keith's face. Shiro shudders in fear and repulsion at the touch, and Keith chuckles, repeating the action. "Look at you, so beautiful. I can't tell you how many times I've dreamed of this, of finally being able to touch you like this." He smiles softly, never ceasing his motions as Shiro a fine tremor overtakes Shiro's body as he tries to hold back the bitter tears. 

He loved Keith, so much, always wanted to protect the Omega and make sure he only had the best of everything. He always looked at Keith as his little brother, and was always there to look out for him and support him. But he never once imagined that Keith saw him differently, and it hurts so much to see the boy he practically raised turn into this psychopath, how had Shiro missed the signs that something was wrong? But he tries not to think like that, knows that it isn't his fault, he can't blame himself, that would only be like giving up before he's even tried to escape.

Keith removes his hand from Shiro, bending over to press a soft kiss to his lips before he sits up with a vaguely concerned look on his face. He runs the pad of his finger over Shiro's dry lips and promises to come back with some water for him. While he's gone, Shiro pulls harder at the fabric and manages to get one to start loosening. Keith comes back in and he stops, praying Keith hadn't seen. He doesn't seem to have, as he helps Shiro lift his head to drink the water, and Shiro swallows in long gulps as he realizes just how thirsty he actually is. Keith helps him settle back down into the pillow, then curls up next to him, his head resting on Shiro's chest. He quietly whispers how happy he is to be with him and that he loves him, before closing his eyes and letting himself fall asleep. 

Shiro wants to keep struggling to get free, but knows he can't with Keith against him, so he lets himself drift off into a fitful sleep, too. His nightmares are tormented by images of Adam being kidnapped and of all the things Keith might have done to him. He wakes up screaming Adam's name. Keith is there with his hands on Shiro's face in an instant. Shiro struggles to get away from his touch, but Keith just follows him. 

"Shh, it's okay, he's gone, he's not here, he'll never bother you again, okay? He'll never use you again, I took care of it, you're safe, it's just us, just you and me now. Just me." Shiro cries at the realization of how deluded Keith is, that he could possibly think that this is okay and that Shiro will love him now. He's shaking from the memory of the dream, and Keith tries to soothe him, running hands over his body in what Shiro supposes is meant to be a comforting gesture from the Omega. His clothes are sticky with sweat from the nightmare, and Keith says he'll help him relax. He disappears for a moment, coming back with a pair of scissors in hand. Shiro is hopeful that he might cut his bonds to help him undress, but Shiro is both disappointed and frightened when Keith begins to cut through his shirt, straight up his stomach and chest, then across the arms to pull it out from under him. Shiro hates to admit that he does feel better without the shirt, but then Keith moves to his pants, methodically cutting up both legs and cutting them loose, before pulling them all the way off, too. 

Shiro prays that Keith is done, now that he's wearing nothing but his boxers. Keith seems to sense how uncomfortable he is and kisses him, presumably to make him feel better, but it only makes him shake harder. But unlike the last few times, Keith keeps kissing him, and his hands start to wander. Shiro cries out against his mouth as Keith's hand settles on his crotch, softly stroking him through his underwear. He tries to get Keith to listen to him, but Keith won't let him speak. Keith's hand slips into the fabric to touch him directly, and Shiro bites Keith's lip to get his attention. Keith yelps and jumps back, surprised by the sudden pain and the taste of blood. Shiro's voice is shaky as he tells Keith to stop, asks him not to touch him. He calls Keith “Baby,” hoping to win him over by using the nickname, but it only seems to fuel the fire more and Keith just makes a joke about Shiro liking it rough, with the bite and all. 

He brings the scissors back and Shiro is terrified, having them so close to such sensitive skin, but Keith carefully cuts away his boxers and leaves him totally exposed. Keith gently teases his fingertips over Shiro, who is hard now, despite his lack of consent in this situation. Keith gently kisses him before taking him in his mouth. Shiro squeezes his eyes shut as Keith pleasures him, trying not to be sick at the forced arousal. He continues to ask him to stop but his voice stops working, and soon it's coming out more as a stream of quiet gasps. His eyes sting with tears as Keith pulls off. Shiro sobs in relief as he stops touching, but it's short-lived as he opens his eyes to see Keith stripping, moving to climb over Shiro. 

He kisses the Alpha, telling him how beautiful Shiro is and how he's going to make Shiro feel so good. He sinks down on his length with a loud moan, and Shiro cries out as he's enveloped in a wet heat that feels wonderful, but he doesn't want it. Keith starts to ride him, eyes closed as he chants a litany of confessions, how long he's dreamt of this, how good Shiro feels inside him, how he wants to be good for his Alpha, how he wants Shiro to fill him full of pups. Shiro is disgusted by his dirty talk, taking something like having pups and making it abhorrent and revolting. 

Shiro becomes more afraid as he feels himself nearing orgasm, his knot swelling as he begs his own body not to betray him. Keith is getting louder, but at least he's beyond the point of forming his obscene words anymore as he forces himself down on Shiro's knot and orgasms, forcing Shiro over the edge with him. Keith collapsed on his chest, moving up quickly to bite deep into his neck, a mating bite. Shiro screams as his orgasm continues, the two of them tied for at least another 15 minutes before the knot goes down. He can't stop the shaking and sobbing that wracks his body, but Keith licks softly at the mark, praising how good Shiro tastes, saying his knot feels so good, that he's so happy they get to be together now, after he waited for so long. Keith falls asleep still tied to him. Shiro lies awake long enough to feel himself deflate and slip out of him wetly, made nauseous by the cool air over his wet genitals. He can't stop sobbing as he tries to make sense of what just happened.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm feeling a little impatient, so here's chapter 3 early. I'll start posting two chapters a week from here on out.

Shiro hadn't slept at all the previous night, but he tries to breathe as shallowly as possible to avoid waking up the Omega still curled up on his chest. Shiro felt dirty, the remnants of Keith's (and his own) pleasure left dried between his legs, sweat making his body sticky in the humidity of the room. And then of course there's the constant barrage of thoughts floating through his exhausted mind: betrayed, used, molested, hopeless, pathetic, weak. He tried to make them stop, but whenever he did, he could feel the tears trying to fall again, so he bit them back in hopes that his captor would stay asleep just a little longer and grant him that much more time alone. But of course it doesn't last, as the sun starts to come up and Keith begins to stir. 

He wakes up with a soft smile on his face and leans to kiss over and lap at the place he'd marked Shiro the night before, the bite still stinging at the contact. He looks up to kiss Shiro's cheek and say good morning, his voice still hoarse with sleep. As he shifts, he apologizes for falling asleep before cleaning them up. Shiro is still in a bit of shock from the night before, and doesn't think to fight back when Keith unties his wrists and ankles. He leads him to the bathroom, staying with him to make sure he doesn't leave. 

Keith asks what Shiro wants for breakfast, smiling happily and acting like nothing had happened between them yesterday, and Shiro can't understand it. He says he's not hungry, but Keith insists he eat something, saying he'll make pancakes with blueberries, Shiro's favorite. Shiro nods in acceptance, not really listening to or caring what the Omega says. Keith lets him come out into the living room with him while he works in the kitchen. Shiro is surprised at the freedom, but guesses that Keith is relying on the instincts of the mating bond to keep Shiro there. It's not as strong in Alphas as it is with Omegas, and definitely not if a bite isn’t mutual, but it still holds some weight in an Alpha's instincts, knowing that there is an Omega that supposedly needs them. 

Shiro begins to gather his thoughts, waiting for a good time to make a break for it, now that he's at least partially dressed (just wearing pajama pants, but it's definitely better than nothing). Keith finally calls him in to breakfast, and he goes without a fuss, hoping to make Keith think he's okay, trust him enough to leave him alone for a moment. Keith chats happily about nothing, just breakfast table small talk, what he plans for the day, what he hopes they can discuss, as far as future plans go for the two of them. He doesn't pay much attention, too busy keeping his mind blank and pushing food around on his plate to make it look like he's eaten something. Unfortunately, it doesn't fool Keith. When he's done, he looks over at Shiro's plate and sighs. He moves to sit next to him and actually takes the fork from his hand to feed him bites of food. He's almost sickened by the lengths to which Keith is willing to go to baby him. 

Once his plate is empty and he feels nauseous from Keith's attentions again, Keith gathers the dishes and goes to wash them. His back is turned to Shiro, and with the water running, he can't hear as well, so Shiro takes the chance and quietly sneaks to the back door. It's surprisingly easy to slip away, and as soon as he's out, he runs. He manages to get quite a ways, but they're far away from anything by drive, let alone by foot. He runs as far as he can before he has to slow down to catch his breath. He finds a place to hide while he does, making sure to cover his tracks. He avoids trails, since Keith knows most of the major trails out this way. He somehow is able to keep from being found all day, the sun starting to go down. The clouds are rolling in though, which concerns him, minimally dressed as he is. His feet are sore and bleeding from running barefoot through the woods, and he's hungry, not having eaten since that morning. He tries to construct some kind of shelter, but as the wind picks up, it doesn't do him much good. 

By the next morning, the temperature has dropped significantly and he lies huddled and shivering in the ruins of his makeshift shelter. In the light of day, he can hear the road nearby and wishes he were able to move enough to get there, but he's too cold from hours in the storm to get his limbs cooperating. He hears footsteps coming from the road and hoarsely calls for help, praying that whoever it is will be willing to take him to the police in town. Warm hands touch his freezing skin, and a jacket is slung over his naked back. He looks up at his rescuer and feels all hope evaporate in an instant as Keith helps him up, but Shiro is too cold and weak from his exposure to the elements to turn down the help, and lets him bundle him into the back of his own car. The whole way back, Keith is constantly apologizing, saying he's so sorry, he should have known better than to let him get up yet, everything was still too new and too sudden, he should have known Shiro wouldn't have adjusted yet and blames himself for not keeping a better eye on his poor, precious Alpha. Shiro doesn't respond. 

Once they're finally back at the cabin, Keith runs a warm bath for him and lets him soak, letting him warm up after being in the cold for so long. Shiro shivers harder and can't resist the gentle touches as Keith pours the water over his shoulders to warm him and clean him up. When the water starts to cool and Shiro is sufficiently warm, Keith helps him out, bundling him in a soft white towel and helping him to bed. He curls into his side, and Keith draws the blankets over him, letting him sleep. The last thing he hears before he slips into unconsciousness is the click of the bedroom door locking.


	4. Chapter 4

Shiro finds himself tied to the bed again, when he regains consciousness. He tests the fabric again, the loose one seeming a little more fragile, and he hears a small rip. He's already desperate, after the failed attempt at escape, and manages to rip the fabric, but Keith comes in to check on him just in time to see him pull free. He quickly moves to secure Shiro back to the bed, saying he'll have to come up with something a little better, make sure Shiro stays safe at home with him. Keith talks to him for a while, after he secures him back down. He says how he's always wanted a family with him, talks about the life he's dreamed of. Shiro does his best not to think about what it would be like to be trapped with Keith for that long. 

He still can't figure it out, how it is that this is his Keith, the sweet, shy Omega kid he helped through high school, who he supported as he had to navigate the foster care system, the friend who had always believed in him and been there for him. He can't wrap his mind around how he hadn't noticed that something was off, how Keith had managed to hide the darkness of his mind from him. But he supposes before, it really had been just him and Keith, and Keith had devoted himself to Shiro, didn't have to worry about anyone else. It was his own fault for never seeing how Keith felt about him; years of unintentionally stringing him along and ignoring him at the same time, of making Keith desperate to be seen, making him try harder and harder to make a bigger impression on him, and then finally crushing him by announcing that he's marrying someone else. Shiro can't hold back the quiet sob that escapes him at the thought of Adam and what Keith might have done to him. Keith cuts off his rambling, moving closer to wipe the tears from Shiro's cheeks, kissing him sweetly and saying he wants to be there for him, wants to make him feel better. 

Shiro is still naked beneath the blanket, Keith not having dressed him after bringing him back home, and Keith takes advantage of that as he moves his hand down to stroke him. Shiro doesn't make a sound, but closes his eyes so he can't see the loving face of his abuser. Keith is more gentle this time, and Shiro hates how good it feels. He wants him to be rough, to hurt him, at least that way he wouldn't be confused about how he feels. It feels so good that he thinks bitterly that maybe he really does want it, even though he never asked, even though he never gave Keith permission to touch him. He hates being so helpless, no one would believe him that he was abused like this by an Omega. Alphas don't get raped by Omegas, Alphas are supposed to be the strong ones, not have to deal with being hurt like this. When Keith rides him this time, it's slow and gentle and Keith kisses him and touches him throughout, making him beg through tears for climax. He doesn't want to, but Keith has teased him enough that his body wants that release, and it sickens him to hear himself actually asking for it, seeming to have lost control over his own voice, too.

Keith seems surprised and almost proud, saying that of course, Keith will take care of him. He moves faster until he ties with him again and Shiro orgasms inside him. Keith says how right it feels to have him inside him like this, how he's been off the pill for two weeks now and hopes it'll catch. Shiro is jarred from his own thoughts by that, and now he's horrified that Keith is actively using Shiro's body to try to get himself pregnant. He's terrified that it will work, because he knows that if Keith ends up pregnant with his child, then Shiro could never leave, he would never abandon his own child to be raised by this inhuman thing that claims to love him.   
Keith unties his wrists and ankles, letting him curl up on his side with Keith pressed against his chest. Keith plays with his hair and gently pets his skin, and Shiro falls asleep trying to drown out his touches.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The last chapter was short, so here's another one for today, to make up for it. <3

When he wakes up next, he's still naked, but he's clean, and his hands and ankles are bound again, but this time by handcuffs. He wants to cry at having even less of a chance of freedom, but he can't find it in himself to react that strongly anymore. He can feel his will breaking but he's powerless to stop it, and it terrifies him. 

Keith opens the door and when he sees him awake, says he has a surprise for him. He brings in a tv, setting it up so Shiro can see it comfortably. Keith says he has an errand to run, and says he'll be back by the evening. He turns on the TV and presses the remote into Shiro's hand so he can use it. Keith also quickly presses a rag into his mouth, tying one of the strips of fabric that had bound his hands around his mouth to hold it in place, just to be safe, he says. He presses a kiss to Shiro's forehead before he leaves. Shiro numbly watches the news that happens to be the first thing on, not paying much attention as the reporters drone on for the first three hours of the show about the weather and major national and political happenings. 

But in the last hour, a reporter announces local breaking news that two bodies had been found mutilated in a ditch just outside of the town that Shiro and Keith lived in. One had been identified as the missing Omega Adam Wright, reported missing by fiance Takashi Shirogane nearly three months ago now. Shiro is finally shaken from his numbness and sobs at the news, screaming in anger into the gag, though it muffled most of the sound, even to his own ears. But then he remembers there was a second body and listens to what they're saying. The second body bless that of a Beta Shiro had worked with, a friend of his, Matthew Holt, who leaves behind a mother, father, and younger sister. 

Shiro is horrified, has no idea why he was killed, what Keith could have hoped to gain from his murder. They give a warning before they show photographs of the bodies, and it's all Shiro can do to keep himself from vomiting behind the gag as the pictures are hardly recognizable as human, they're so badly mutilated, but they're not decaying, and Shiro realizes that they had to have been killed only within the past day or so, which only makes things worse, making his mind race through the horrible possibilities of what Keith could have done to them, if he'd kept them alive for all this time. And even worse, what Keith could be doing even now, since he’s been gone so long before the news of Adam and Matt’s discovery came out. 

His energy is renewed now and he pulls at the handcuffs around his wrists, desperately trying to escape. He works at it for hours, and screams as he finally manages to force his right hand through the tight metal, his skin cut deeply and blood covering his hand. But the cuff around the left wrist is much tighter, and he can't get it off, no matter what he does. He tries everything to get his hand free, fighting with it for at least another hour, but it's no use. His right hand is already really hurting, and Shiro hopes it's not infected. It's just starting to get dark when Keith comes home with groceries. He goes to check on Shiro and is shocked to see the state he's in. He quickly goes and unties the gag to ask him what he's done to himself. 

Shiro screams at him, “How long did you keep him alive? How long before you murdered him?! How could you do that to him?! He loved you! He’d started to see you as a little brother! How could you do that to him?!”

Keith's eyes grow cold and he draws himself up to his full height at the question. His voice is icy as he says, “Adam deserved to be punished, laying hands on an Alpha that wasn't his, trying to manipulate you. I was just making sure that he never did it again.”

Shiro yells back, his voice cracking with building tears, “I was Adam's, and Adam was mine! Keith, you stole that from me!” 

Keith answers calmly, “Just give it some time, you'll see that you’re wrong.”

Shiro goes on, reining in his emotion more and turning it from grief to anger. “What about Matt? Why did you murder him, too? Matt was innocent, he never did anything to hurt me, nothing to even try to take me away from you!”

Keith grows dark. "I saw the way he looked at you. You might not have noticed, but he wanted you. And he's a Beta! What right does a stuck-up, two-bit Beta whore like him have to look at an Alpha like you? I couldn't let him get away with that, so I made sure he wouldn't ever look at you like that again. You're safe now."

Shiro actually moves away from Keith's hand as Keith tries to touch him. When Keith tries to kiss him, he spits in the Omega's face. He lets all of his hate burn in his eyes. His voice is low and venomous as he speaks. “You’re a monster!”

Keith looks hurt, almost heartbroken. He doesn't say anything as he leaves the room, and the house falls eerily silent. It's maybe half an hour later when he hears movement outside the room. Then he hears the sound of a plate shattering against a wall. 

Keith screams, obviously sobbing in anguish, not even words, just a tortured, inhuman sound. After a while, his screams take on more intelligible words, “Why can’t you love me?! What’s wrong with me that you can’t love me?!” The sound is gut wrenching, and Shiro can hear how genuine his emotion is, and it pains him to hear Keith hurting so much. But he knows that this Keith isn’t the one he used to take care of, something happened and he’s too irreparably changed. He also knows that if he doesn't find a way out of this place soon, he'll be trapped with Keith forever.


	6. Chapter 6

The rest of their time in the cabin passes without another escape attempt. Keith reattaches the handcuffs to Shiro's right wrist, making sure his injuries are cleaned and bandaged. He feeds Shiro two meals a day, usually a late breakfast and dinner, making sure he keeps up his strength, but not enough that he'll be too strong for Keith to handle, should something happen. Keith wants him to be a little hungry, so he learns that he has to depend on Keith for what he needs. Keith has always been dependent on Shiro, now it's time for him to show Shiro that he can depend on Keith too, even if it takes a little more effort to show him that. He helps Shiro to the bathroom three times a day, too, and eventually lets him actually have baths or showers, instead of wiping him down with a rag like he'd been doing before.

Keith is getting concerned about Shiro's arm. The other cuts had healed well, but the injuries on his right wrist had already been infected, after sitting exposed to the humid cabin air for so long, and he does what he can, but it seems to be spreading. Shiro begs him to take him to a hospital, but Keith is afraid they'll take Shiro away from him if he does, so he tries to treat it himself. He keeps it bandaged and padded, trying to keep it clean as best he can with their limited first aid supplies. He helps Shiro take medicine to stop the fever that's taken hold of him, helping him eat what little Shiro will accept and making sure he's well looked after.

By the time their three weeks is up, Shiro is sick, and Keith regrets not having taken him somewhere sooner and letting his fears get the better of him. He packs their things and helps him into the car. He takes them straight to a hospital, and as soon as they see Shiro's arm, they take him in right away. They say that the tissue is too far damaged to be able to save and they have to amputate. Keith nods gravely. When asked what happened, he says there was a biking accident. They'd been biking the mountain trails and Shiro had gone off by himself and taken a corner too sharply and caused a rock slide. He says Shiro had been pinned beneath his bike and a pile of rocks for days before Keith had found him. He tried to clean him up, but he was already badly hurt and getting sick when Keith had brought him home. Anyone could see the earnestness in Keith's face as he spoke, and no one would doubt the Omega's love and care for the Alpha in question. 

When Shiro wakes up in the hospital, he feels better, the fever having subsided and his arm itching, which he supposes is a good sign of healing. He hopes he'll have a chance to tell someone what happened, hoping he will finally be able to get away from Keith. The itching is too strong to ignore anymore, and he moves to rub at his wrist but stops short when he looks down to see that his arm is gone. He can still feel the itch in his wrist, and he begins to hyperventilate from the panic, not quite being able to process what has happened.

A few nurses rush in and help him settle, and he begs them to help him, tries to say that Keith is the one hurting him, but in his broken sentences, it only sounds like he's calling for the Omega. He doesn't get a chance to clear things up before the nurses administer his pain medication through his IV and he's pulled back into sleep. The next time he wakes up, Keith is sitting by his bedside, his hand resting possessively on Shiro's chest. Shiro tenses at the touch but doesn't move otherwise. Keith feels the change and looks up to see him awake. He looks terrible, and Shiro can't help but feel a little pleased at that as tears trickle down Keith's cheeks. 

Keith apologizes over and over again, saying he shouldn't have waited and how terrible it is, but he promises to be there and help Shiro recover. They'll get through it together, as mates. Shiro's heart clenches at the word "mates," dreading what that means for his foreseeable future. He'd hoped the horror of Shiro losing a limb to Keith's insanity would have been enough to jar Keith from his state of mind, but evidently, he'd had no such luck. The nurses come in and ask to speak to Keith alone.   
Another nurse comes in to take care of Shiro, change his bandages and take his vitals. He tells her that Keith had kept him trapped, it had been Keith's fault that this had happened, but the nurse, a Beta, just tells him that he's confused, that he'd only thought those things had happened because of the fever, they were hallucinations. No one believes him, just like he'd been afraid of. They all knew that he'd lost Adam, since his story had become a favorite topic for local gossip lately, and they just assumed that the combination of the stress of losing his fiancé and the accident had caused him to hallucinate. He even starts to question himself, wondering if maybe they were right and he just didn't remember the accident. Maybe he is going crazy.

When they release him, Keith is there to take him home. He doesn't restrain him when they get there, Shiro too lost in his own head and the effects of his medications to even consider trying to escape. Keith cuddles with him after he makes Shiro eat something, making sure he's comfortable and not in any pain. He rapes Shiro again that same night, saying that he loves him and wants to remind him that they're together now, and no one will separate them again, and that Keith will always be there by Shiro's side, come what may. Shiro doesn't try to fight back. 

By Monday, Keith lets him go back to work. Shiro knows that if he tries to tell anyone, they won't believe him, and even if they do and try to help, Keith will think they're trying to steal him away and they'll wind up dead. Even if he did try to escape at this point, anyone who he could talk to would see his medical files and just refer him back to a therapist and take him back to Keith. Besides, he has nothing to call his own anymore, Keith making sure to keep access to their money and important belongings like their phones and computers carefully out of Shiro's reach, as well as monitored so he can always see what Shiro is doing. Shiro wishes he could think of some way out of this situation, but from what he can tell, he's trapped. He both desperately hopes and horribly fears that someone will notice that something is wrong, that someone will ask him if he's okay. He does meet a young new staff member, an Omega who was just hired, since there was a bottom tier position left open after they replaced Adam. Lance is on the bottom rung of the ladder, but he's a sweet Omega, and Shiro is reminded that not every Omega is like Keith, some are still like Adam. He and Lance become fast friends, though he keeps their friendship a secret and makes sure to stay far enough away from him that Lance's scent doesn't cling to him when he goes home.

Keith has been trying without luck to get pregnant, and he's getting more and more frustrated. He takes another test that turns up negative, and he's distraught. When Shiro gets home from work, Keith is furious, he yells at him that this is the sixth test he's taken, it's not working. They keep trying to start a family but no matter what, it never works. He forces himself on Shiro roughly, hurting him as he rapes him, and Shiro wishes he could call Lance for help, even if he knows that Lance is younger and weaker than Keith, and he couldn't bear it if something were to happen to his new friend. Keith roughly forces Shiro inside of him as he sobs against the Alpha's chest, asking desperately why it's not working, his voice broken and scared. Shiro almost feels sorry for him, how badly he obviously wants this. But then he remembers how sick it is the way he's trying to get it, and all the horrible things Keith has done, and he can't feel anything but loathing for the Omega he once loved as a brother.


	7. Chapter 7

Shiro relishes the time he spends with Lance, as well as the new Alpha who has taken Adam's place at work, Allura. The three are good friends at work, even though Shiro won't let either of them touch him, not wanting them to get hurt. But between the two of them, Lance and Allura can tell something is wrong with Shiro, even though he insists he's fine. He wants nothing more than to tell them the truth, knows they don't believe that he's okay, but he won't do anything that could possibly put them in danger of Keith’s mad jealousy.

At home, Keith tries another test, outraged when it comes back negative again. When Shiro comes home that night, Keith yells at him and demands to know why it isn't working, even though Shiro doesn't have an answer. The one sided argument comes to a head when Keith hits him. Keith is stunned at his own actions, frozen where he stands. He pulls Shiro into a hug, trying to comfort the shaken Alpha.

“Oh Shiro,” he says, stroking the bangs that had grown white during the past few months out of Shiro’s eyes, “I’m so sorry, I’m so so sorry, I never meant to do that, you know I didn’t mean to hit you. It’s just… it’s gotten so bad between us, I wish we could be happy and have pups, start a family, and I just got so angry…. But Shiro, my Alpha, you know I would never do anything to hurt you. I’d never hurt you on purpose. You know that, don’t you? You’re my Alpha, and I love you so, so much, I’d never hurt you, I promise. I’m so sorry. You know I wouldn’t hurt you, right?” Shiro wants to laugh hysterically at the statement, thinking how ludicrous it is that Keith says he loves him and wouldn't hurt him, all while keeping him in terror in his own home, in fear of being raped by essentially his own brother and fear of his friends being tortured and murdered. 

Keith begins to get more violent after that, losing his temper more and more often. It's when Shiro comes to work and doesn't want to look at anyone that Lance has had enough. He touches Shiro for the first time that day, pulling the Alpha aside by his good arm and making him look at him. Shiro panics as he tries to get the young Omega to let go of him, not wanting his scent on him. Lance looks scared and worried at his reaction, and even more concerned as he sees the split lip and black eye Shiro has been trying to hide all day. He takes Shiro's hand and Shiro winces, prompting Lance to lift the sleeve of the shirt he always keeps over his wrist. He's horrified to see scars there, covered over by new burn marks from what looks like rope. Keith had taken to tying him up again at night to rape him as often as possible in hopes of getting pregnant. 

When Lance asks who's doing this to him, Shiro refuses to say, says he can't, he'll hurt Lance. Lance is heartbroken for the Alpha he's come to care so much about, and pulls him into the first truly comforting hug he's had since Adam went missing. Shiro knows he shouldn't accept it, knows Keith will smell Lance on him, but can't resist the kindness and melts against the Omega, sobbing brokenly into his shoulder. Lance asks him to stay there while he brings Allura to talk to him too, so they can try and figure out what's going on and what to do for him. He makes them promise not to do anything yet, let him try to make Keith see that it isn't right. Neither of them like that option, but agree to give Shiro the opportunity for closure to the awful situation. 

That night, he's home late, and Keith is upset with him, demanding to know where he was, but he cuts his words short as Lance's scent finally strikes him. He's shocked and horrified, feels betrayed that his Alpha would ever look at another Omega, after everything Keith has done for him. Shiro tells him he didn't, he's not interested in Lance, and after a moment, Keith seems to buy the lie. He still bristles, but he takes a breath and says he's sorry, he knows Shiro loves him now and wouldn't leave him, that it's all the Omega slut's fault, thinking he could just rub his scent all over a happily mated Alpha like he belongs to him. His voice is strangely cool, like the voice he used to use to talk about Adam, and it makes Shiro nervous. 

He pulls Shiro into a hug, wrapping his arms around the Alpha and making him feel trapped, and says, “I promise, he won’t take advantage of you ever again. I’ll make sure of it. But I need to keep you safe.” His grip becomes hard as he forces Shiro into the bedroom, where he ties him up to the bed again with thick ropes, pressing a gag into his mouth so no one can hear him and come to hurt him while Keith is gone. Shiro wants to fight back, wants to get loose to stop him from going after Lance, but it's no use, he's trapped and can do nothing to help his dear friend. 

The next day at work, when neither Lance or Shiro show up, Allura takes matters into her own hands. She gets her Omega girlfriend (Matt's little sister, Pidge) to hack into the employee files at work and finds Shiro's address. She makes a plan to go there with Pidge and the police and try to find Lance and Shiro and rescue her two friends.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I'm late with this chapter, had a ton of stuff going on, but here it is now! And to make up for the tardiness, I'll be publishing the last two chapters as well! Hope you enjoy!

Keith comes home in the middle of the day, after having been gone all night, and he's angry. He grabs Shiro by the hair and slams his head back against the headboard with a sickening crack. He pulls the gag from his mouth and demands to know what Lance meant by saying that Shiro came to him for help. Shiro tries to say that he didn't, that Lance confronted him, that he didn't go to another Omega. 

Keith is furious and screams, “Don’t lie to me! I could smell you all over that Omega bitch! How could you do this to me?! I thought we were happy! We were trying to start a family together! How could you do this to us?!”

Shiro's not sure where his courage comes from, but he spits back, “We’re not trying to start a family! You’re raping me, Keith, and keeping me trapped here! I could never willingly start a family with you after everything you’ve done to me! You’ve taken everything I ever loved from me! How could you possibly think I would ever love you after that?!” 

Keith turns cold and stoic, and all resemblance to the Omega Shiro had known before disappears. His face is void of emotion as he unbuckles his belt. Shiro expects him to rape him again, but instead, Keith loops the belt and brings it down hard over Shiro’s stomach. Shiro cries out at the sudden pain, and Keith does it again, stopping after several strikes to rip Shiro's clothes off and start again, leaving deep red welts across his exposed skin. Shiro can do nothing but take the pain and watch in terror as his skin breaks when Keith switches sides to hit him with the buckle. The metal strikes his face, leaving a gash across the bridge of his nose. He hits the tender parts of his body, directly over organs Shiro wishes he could protect. Keith raises his hand again, and Shiro whimpers in fear, trying to blink the blood out of his eyes as he flinches painfully away from Keith’s blow.

Suddenly, the door flies open and a team of police holds guns on Keith. The Omega looks at them briefly before turning a hurt expression to Shiro. He's silent for a moment, blinking in betrayal at the Alpha beneath him. His voice is pitifully small as he asks, “How could you do this to me? I love you so much, Alpha, how could you send me away?” He pauses, tears running down his cheeks as he searches for words. “We… we were going to start a family…”

Shiro doesn't answer, and Keith screams, punching him hard in the jaw. A gunshot rings out and Keith falls to the floor, clutching his shoulder. No one is sure how, but he manages to escape out of the window, a few officers running to follow him. Allura is by Shiro’s side in an instant, untying the ropes cutting into his wrist and ankles. He curls onto his side, clutching at his bleeding chest and abdomen as pain seems to fill him from the inside out. Paramedics are called in and they take him to the hospital. 

After a few scans and a thorough examination, they are told that the internal damage isn’t too bad and doesn’t require surgery. He sustained some serious bruising to some of his internal organs, but it just needs time to heal. They stitch up the gash over his nose and tend to the rope burns. One officer stays in the room with Shiro, once he's settled in, another standing guard outside. After being assured that she can go and that Shiro is okay with just the officer staying, Allura joins the hunt for Keith, praying that they'll find Lance before Keith does. 

They retrace their steps from the house in the direction Keith had run, fanning out to around the area the bodies had been found. Pidge is the one to hear a muffled scream from inside a storage facility. She calls the police over and they manage to find the storage unit Keith is hidden in. Lance is tied to a chair inside, naked and covered in deep cuts and bruises, shaking uncontrollably as Keith presses a blade against his throat, threatening to kill him if anyone gets near them. Everyone freezes, the only sound Keith's heavy breathing and Lance's pained whimpers as he tries to stay conscious, despite the amount of blood he's lost. 

One of the officers tries to talk Keith down, but he refuses to listen, saying that they ruined everything, that he was going to have a family with Shiro, that Shiro was his and no one could take him away from Keith, not Adam, not that stupid little Beta, and not the pathetic Omega whimpering under him right now. Hearing him admit to the murder of not only Adam but of Matt as well is the final straw. Lance is losing his battle for consciousness and no one is doing anything, so without hesitation, Pidge grabs one of the officer's guns and fires, hitting Keith straight in the chest. His hands clench in reflex and his knife presses into Lance's neck as he falls to the ground. Lance gurgles in fear and pain around the blood in his slit throat as Allura runs to halt the bleeding, Lance finally falling unconscious in her arms. She is the only one to hear Keith whimper out Shiro's name with a quiet sob before he dies.


	9. Chapter 9

They rush Lance to the hospital and get him there just in time. After he's out of surgery, they move him into Shiro's room so they can stay together. Shiro is horrified to see the extent of the torture Keith had used on Lance but is overjoyed that he's still alive. The police don't write Pidge into their report, saying a rookie was with them and got nervous, his gun went off by mistake, killing the suspect. No one says anything and they all silently agree to move on and forget what really happened. When they break the news to Shiro that Keith is dead, he can't find it in himself to care. He doesn't cry, he doesn't laugh, he simply nods in dumb acceptance of his fate. He's just glad it means the pain and fear is over. 

The next day after he's rested, the police ask him to tell them what happened, from the time of Adam's disappearance until now. Lance is awake and listening, and Shiro asks that Allura be there, too. He tells them everything that happened, how he hadn't been believed when he told the nurses and doctors what had happened to his arm, how they had taken the word of the Omega over his own. There is no emotion in his voice as he speaks. He doesn't hesitate to say the word rape, doesn't cringe at the memories of his abuse. He simply feels numb as he relates the events of his captivity. After they take everything down, an Alpha officer, the one who had stayed with him the previous night, gently touches his shoulder and says he knows how hard it must have been to talk about this. He says that he was abused by his Omega sister when he was a teenager and no one believed him. He says his name is Curtis, and if Shiro ever wants to talk to another Alpha about it or needs any kind of help, to give him a call. Shiro nods emotionlessly, and thanks him. The only sign that he truly cares is that he squeezes the Alpha's hand with his own, trying to convey his gratitude with the small action. The officer smiles softly and leaves the three alone together. It's after everyone is gone and silence fills the room that Shiro breaks down. 

Allura is there by his side, and Lance reaches across the divide to take his hand. Shiro sobs until he can't anymore, then lies silent and still in Allura's arms for a long time. When a nurse comes in with their dinner, he sits up and lets Allura step away again. One nurse sits down on Lance's bed and helps him eat, since he needs special care because of the stitches in his throat, not to mention the countless other injuries that cover his body. The other asks if there's anything Shiro needs, but he shakes his head no and quietly thanks her. 

They're in the hospital for days, though Shiro recovers from his injuries faster than Lance, but they let them stay together, given the circumstances of their case. The police keep away the reporters hoping to get a chance to talk to Shiro about what it was like to be an Alpha held prisoner by a psychopath Omega. Allura helps take care of the press too, outraged that they'd try to make popular gossip of such a horrific situation. 

When they are finally released, Shiro goes to stay with Lance, not able to bear the thought of returning to his own home after all that had happened there. Allura sends Pidge to get some of his things while he stays with Lance. It doesn’t take her long and when she returns, she’s shaken up herself, just by being in the same room where they’d found Shiro. 

Lance and Shiro rely on each other for comfort, Shiro fiercely protective over Lance, and Lance comforting Shiro whenever he's afraid of something. Shiro quickly becomes claustrophobic from staying in one room for too long, and is afraid to be in a room with only one other person. He either has to be alone entirely or with both Lance and Allura in the room at the same time. He won't let anyone see him until he's fully dressed and flies into a panic attack if anyone ever touches his right shoulder. Both he and Lance have nightmares, and Lance wants nothing more than to run to Shiro for comfort, but he knows he needs to give him space to come to terms with things on his own, despite his own needs. He refuses to be another Omega to force his own desires on Shiro.

It's a week later that they get word back about Keith’s autopsy. Based on his previous actions he had been diagnosed with borderline personality disorder, a type of psychopathy that manifests in early adulthood and comes with extreme emotional reactions, unhealthy relationships, occasional violent tendencies and detachment from reality. Shiro can't argue with the diagnosis. It is also discovered that Keith had been infertile, so there was no loss of possible pregnancy involved. They think that possibly his learning that, along with the announcement of Shiro’s engagement, was what triggered his condition.   
Shiro isn't sure whether to feel relieved or hurt by the news. He's glad there wasn't an unborn pup killed in the process of course, but that means that Keith had grown more and more violent towards him when the problem lay with Keith, not Shiro at all. It makes him feel worse, knowing he'd been hurt over something that wasn't even his fault. But that's when it hits him that none of it was his fault. He didn't do anything wrong, it was all Keith. He was just a victim of a psychopath who had no sense of how to handle his own emotions and so he took it out on Shiro. 

That night, he wakes up from a nightmare about being tied up again and Keith laying on top of him, reminding him that he loves him before his heart starts to bleed from the place he was shot. The hot blood spills over Shiro's face and into his mouth, choking him as Keith kisses him. He wakes up with a strangled cry, shaking and trying to work himself down from the panic attack that seizes him. Once he's got his breathing in order, he can try and focus on stopping the shaking. But he feels his skin crawl in discomfort as he tries to settle back into bed. He needs comfort and can't find it himself. He gets up and softly taps on Lance's bedroom door. He quietly asks if he can stay with him, and Lance is shocked that he'd come, but more than willing to let the Alpha share his bed. That night, they both sleep better than they had in weeks. 

It takes another few months for Shiro to be able to return home to collect his things and officially move out. Allura, Pidge and Lance all go with him, but allow him the space he needs to come to terms with being back in that horrible place. He asks to be alone for a minute as he stands in front of the closed bedroom door, hand trembling on the doorknob. His friends let him go by himself, watching anxiously as he closes the door behind him. He nearly has a panic attack just from looking at the bed, remembering what Keith had done to him. He remembers the breathing techniques he’s learned to keep himself from hyperventilating, making sure he’s okay before he opens his eyes.

He looks around the room, moving in a wide berth around the bed, to his dresser to find the clothes he’d left behind. He gathers an armful from a drawer and turns to leave, not sure what he was supposed to get out of this experience. But his eyes stop on the bedside table as he finds two photos that make his heart clench in his chest. One is of Shiro and Keith when Keith was about fourteen and Shiro twenty. He looks so sweet and happy, and the two really do look like brothers. The other is a photograph of Shiro and Adam, Shiro holding Adam close in his arms and Adam nuzzling adoringly against Shiro's cheek. The two look so in love in the picture it stings to know how horribly it was taken away from them both. 

He feels his arm go slack, the clothes falling to the floor as he stares at the two pictures. He can’t tell which he is responding to, the betrayal and hurt he still feels from Keith or the picture of the beautiful fiancé that had been stolen from him and brutally murdered by someone who should have been supporting them, had made them believe he supported them, until the end. He can’t control the shaking that wracks his body and he falls to his knees, bumping against the table and knocking the pictures to the floor as well. He sobs harshly, overwhelmed by everything that had happened, unable to even form words to express his emotions. The faces of those he’d lost gaze up at him from behind the broken glass, and Shiro screams, not knowing if it’s anger or loss or betrayal or grief that spurs it. The door opens and his friends quickly come to his aid. He’s wrapped in their arms as he lets out all of the emotions that had built up over the past months, and for once, despite his current state, he actually feels like he might be able to start recovering.


	10. Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave comments and feedback if you enjoyed this story! I'd love to improve, so any comments or criticisms are more than welcome! Thank you so much! <3

It's been almost a year since Keith had been shot down, and both Lance and Shiro are attending therapy. Shiro's been fitted with a new prosthetic arm, paid for by the military tech company he works for. Lance is moving up at work. They've been a couple almost since the night Shiro first came to Lance's room. They've both been relying on each other for support while they try to recover; it's a long road, but they're walking it together. As the anniversary of Keith's death approaches, both of them fight back old memories, both trying to focus on what they have now. The anniversary comes, and Lance and Shiro have all of their friends over for a party, trying to wipe out the memory of Keith altogether. 

At the get together, Lance surprises Shiro by asking him to marry him. He knows they've only been together for a year, but he wants to be there for Shiro no matter what comes their way, knowing that they'll survive if they stay together. Shiro is nervous, still remembering the last time he’d wanted this commitment with an Omega, but he says yes, excited to hopefully be moving on with their lives. His new friends have become his family, and he knows that whatever happens from here on out, he'll be able to survive with them to support him. Lance is everything he ever wanted in an Omega, and they’re both hopeful about their future together, whatever that may bring.

**Author's Note:**

> I'll be updating every week, for those interested in following the story. Please leave comments, this is my first posted Alpha/Omega work, and my first for Voltron Legendary Defender, so please let me know what you think! Any constructive criticism is welcome! <3


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